Only Fools and Myths

There seems to be a constant flow of questions about Only Fools and Horses in our inbox, so today i put together a few suggested myths and a clear answer or two. If you have any then add them on the comments box below.

We must get this question in our inbox several times a year. Quite simply John Sullivan creator and script writer to Only Fools sung the opening and closing theme tunes.

How did the myth come about?

I’ve no idea, I can only presume it’s because it does actually sound a little like Rodney Trotter.

The facts

John Sullivan wrote and performed the song to Only Fools & Horses. It was widely reported that originally John wanted Chas and Dave to sing it, but they were busy, so BBC told him he would have to sing it himself, of course we are talking from the second series onwards. The first series was just a cheesy saxophone tune composed by Ronnie Hazlehurst. Of course many years later Chas and Dave did get the call up to sing the title songs for the Christmas Special episode, The Jolly Boys Outing

I’m not aware of any other sitcom having this treatment, probably due to the fact that this is the only sitcom i really care about, but sadly many clips are lost due to the BBC not wanting to pay extra royalties for the music (Damiens tune being a classic example of this where Carmen Burana is replaced.

I am a massive fan of the show, watch it all the time. One thing I can’t understand is why they used so many different exterior buildings as the Nags Head pub. I appreciate pubs go bust but it would have been far better if they’d have tried to stick to one building.

Once when i was looking on the internet at only fools and horses scripts i came accross newton heath tealeaf script where rodney and cass have a row in pictures over a actor trig dresses up as santa for damien and them dystol brothers are back in it but i cant find that one on dvd how come

I Have heard a myth that Raquel was in the very first episode ‘BIG BROTHER She was the first person to speak in the first scene in the ‘Nags Head’, she said “All right DEl ?”
GOING TO WATCH THE EPISODE AND CHECK IT OUT NOW !!!

We recently asked John Sullivan if it was true, that Raquel (Tessa Peake-Jones) had appeared in the very first episode Big Brother. The scene is pictured here, where Del walks in and a bird in the background says Hello to Del, it does sound like Tessa but is now confirmed as an Urban Myth with no substance.